The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted a web page entitled “Pesticides Containing a Single Fluorinated Carbon.” The web page includes a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding pesticidal substances containing a single fluorinated carbon and how EPA evaluates them. EPA intends the FAQs to inform the public better about EPA’s gold-standard science pesticide registration process. EPA notes that the web page “does not, and is not intended to, interpret or amend...
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On August 13, 2025, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced that it petitioned the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the food chain. PEER notes that its petition highlights three human exposure pathways it asks the MAHA Commission to address: Biosolid fertilizers made from sewage sludge contain high levels of PFAS. According to PEER, nearly 20 percent of U.S. agricultural land is estimated to use...
By Barbara A. Christianson On May 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will hold a virtual public meeting of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) on June 5 and June 6, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT). The meeting is open to the public, but registration to attend is required. Register to attend the meeting by May 29, 2024.To provide comments during the meeting, request special accommodations, or receive more information, please contact...
February 23, 2024
EPA Announces Its Implementation Approaches for Endangered Species Act Pesticide Policies
On February 7, 2024, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator Michal Freedhoff announced the steps EPA is taking to incorporate stakeholder feedback and collaborate with other federal agencies on its requirement to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as part of the registration process, EPA must comply with ESA to ensure pesticides do not harm endangered species or their critical...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 22, 2023, that it has registered biopesticide products containing the new active ingredient Ledprona for three years, “a timeframe that is consistent with EPA’s approach to other novel biopesticide products.” Ledprona is a new type of pesticide that relies on a natural mechanism, RNA interference (RNAi), used by plants and insects to protect against disease. As reported in our October 12, 2023, blog item, Ledprona is a...
October 12, 2023
Comments Due October 13, 2023, on EPA’s Proposal to Register Novel Pesticide Technology for Potato Crops
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 29, 2023, that it is proposing to register pesticide products containing the new active ingredient ledprona for three years, a timeframe consistent with EPA’s approach to other novel pesticide products. EPA states that ledprona “is a new type of pesticide that relies on a natural mechanism -- called RNA interference (RNAi) -- used by plants and insects to protect against disease.” The proposed biopesticide involves a...
July 31, 2023
EPA Announces $1.3 Million in Research Funding to Develop Nanosensors to Detect Pesticides and Mitigate Their Impacts
On July 31, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it provided more than $1.3 million in funding to a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison to develop nanosensor technology that can detect, monitor, and degrade commonly used pesticides found in water that can harm human health. According to EPA, using funding from the grant, researchers will develop an integrated, portable, sensor-controlled water treatment technology that itself...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On August 27, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced via the Federal Register, proposed revisions to its pesticide tolerance crop grouping regulations. These regulations allow the establishment of tolerances for multiple related crops based on data from a representative set of crops. EPA is proposing the revision of one commodity definition and the addition of three new commodity definitions. In addition, EPA’s proposal includes an amendment to...
On June 14, 2019, Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) began a public consultation on Discussion Document DIS2019-01, “Consultation on Inspecting Confidential Test Data for Post-market Reviews in the Reading Room.” Before a pesticide can be registered for use in Canada, PMRA states that it reviews the available scientific test data to determine whether there are concerns for human health or safety, or the environment, when the product is used according to the...
March 29, 2019
EPA Releases Draft Guidance For Pesticide Registrants On Plant Regulator Label Claims, Including Bio
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 25, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted Draft Guidance for Plant Regulator Label Claim, Including Plant Biostimulants in Docket # EPA-HQ-OPP-2018-0258. EPA issued the notice of availability in the Federal Register on March 27, 2019. 84 Fed. Reg. 11538. This is an important document addressing tricky jurisdictional issues that have plagued EPA for years. Comments on the draft guidance are due by May 28, 2019. For a...